Father Knows Best
Father Knows Best is an American sitcom starring Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin. The series, which first began on radio in 1949, aired as a television show for six seasons with a total of 203 episodes. Created by Ed James, Father Knows Best follows the lives of the Andersons, a middle-class family living in the Midwest town of Springfield. The state in which Springfield is located is never specified, but it is generally accepted to be Midwest United States. [1]
| Father Knows Best | |
|---|---|
 Robert Young and Jane Wyatt as Jim and Margaret Anderson | |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Ed James |
| Directed by | Peter Tewksbury |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 6 |
| No. of episodes | 203 |
| Production | |
| Producers |
|
| Running time | 26 minutes |
| Production companies | Rodney-Young Productions Screen Gems |
| Distributor | Screen Gems |
| Release | |
| Original network | |
| Picture format | Black-and-white |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | October 3, 1954 – May 23, 1960 |
The television series debuted on CBS in October 1954. It ran for one season and was canceled the following year. The series was picked up by NBC, where it remained for three seasons. After a second cancellation in 1958, the series was picked up yet again, by CBS, where it aired until May 1960.
Radio
The series began August 25, 1949, on NBC Radio. Set in the Midwest, it starred Robert Young as the General Insurance agent Jim Anderson. His wife Margaret was first portrayed by June Whitley and later by Jean Vander Pyl. The Anderson children were Betty (Rhoda Williams), Bud (Ted Donaldson), and Kathy (Norma Jean Nilsson). Others in the cast were Eleanor Audley, Herb Vigran, and Sam Edwards. Sponsored through most of its run by General Foods, the series was heard Thursday evenings on NBC until March 25, 1954.
On the radio program, the character of Jim differs from the later television character. The radio Jim is far more sarcastic and shows he really rules over his family. Jim also calls his children names, something common on radio but lost in the TV series. For example, Jim says, "What a bunch of stupid children I have." Margaret is portrayed as a paragon of solid reason and patience, unless the plot calls for her to act a bit off; for example, in a Halloween episode, Margaret cannot understand how a table floats in the air. But that is a rare exception.
Betty, on radio, is portrayed as a status-seeking, boy-crazy teenage girl. To her, every little thing is "the worst thing that could ever happen." Bud, on radio, is portrayed as an "all-American" boy who always seems to need "just a bit more" money, though he gets $1.25 (nearly $14.00 in 2021) per week in allowance. Bud is in charge of always having to answer the phone, which he hates. He is also shown as a somewhat dim boy who takes everything literally; for example, Jim might say, "Go jump in the lake," to which Bud would reply, "Okay, Dad; which lake should I go jump into?" He also uses the phrase "Holy Cow" to express displeasure. On radio, Kathy often is portrayed as a source of irritation. She whines, cries and complains about her status in the family as being overlooked. She often is the source of money to her brother and sister, although she is in hock several years on her own allowance.
In an interview published in the magazine Films of the Golden Age (Fall 2015), Young revealed about the radio program: "I never quite liked it because it had to have laughs. And I wanted a warm relationship show.... When we moved to TV I suggested an entirely new cast and different perspective."[2]
Television series
The May 27, 1954, episode of The Ford Television Theatre show was called "Keep It in the Family." This 26-minute episode stars Robert Young as Jim Warren, head of the Warren family. With him was wife Grace (Ellen Drew), older daughter Peggy (Sally Fraser), younger daughter Patty (Tina Thompson), and son Jeff (Gordon Gebert). Developed by Young and his partner Eugene Rodney, it was intended as a pilot for a Father Knows Best television series.[3] In the episode Peggy dreams of making it as an actress, but a talent scout who has raised her hopes just wants people for his acting school.
Only Robert Young remained of the radio cast when the series moved to CBS Television:
- James "Jim" Anderson Sr.: Robert Young
- Margaret Anderson: Jane Wyatt
- Betty "Princess" Anderson: Elinor Donahue
- James "Bud" Anderson Jr.: Billy Gray
- Kathy "Kitten" Anderson: Lauren Chapin
The Andersons – top from left: Elinor Donahue, Robert Young, Jane Wyatt – bottom: Lauren Chapin, Billy Gray
Jim with daughter Kathy, 1957
The series premiered October 3, 1954, on CBS where it aired Sundays at 10:00 pm (ET). Originally sponsored by Lorillard's Kent cigarettes in its first season, Scott Paper Company became the primary sponsor when in the fall of 1955 the series moved to NBC, where it aired Wednesdays at 8:30 pm (ET) for the next three seasons. Scott Paper remained as sponsor even after it moved in September 1958 back to CBS, where it aired Mondays at 8:30 pm (ET) for the last two seasons, with Lever Brothers as an alternate sponsor from 1957 through 1960. A total of 203 episodes were produced, running until September 17, 1960, and appearing on all three of the television networks of the time, including prime-time repeats from September 1960 through April 1963.
As before, the character of Margaret was portrayed as a "voice of reason," but Jim's character was softened to that of a thoughtful, yet a Caspar Milquetoast type father who offered sage advice whenever one (or more) of his children had a problem. Jim was a salesman and manager of the General Insurance Company in Springfield, while Margaret was a housewife. Their home was located at 607 Maple Avenue. One history of the series characterized the Andersons as "truly an idealized family, the sort that viewers could relate to and emulate."[4] As the two eldest children aged from teen-ager to young adult, Betty (1956) and Bud (1959) graduated from high school and attended Springfield Junior College.
Other actors had recurring roles on Father Knows Best. Vivi Janiss played the part of Myrtle Davis in eleven sporadic episodes from 1954 to 1959.
Father Knows Best had become so ingrained in American pop culture as its idyllic presentation of family life that in 1959, the U.S. Treasury Department commissioned a special 30-minute episode of the show called "24 Hours in Tyrant Land."[4] Never aired on television, the episode—distributed to schools, churches and civic groups—promoted the buying of savings bonds.[4] The episode was later included in the Season One DVD.
Young left the series in 1960 at the height of the show's popularity to work on other projects, but reruns continued to air in prime time for another three years, on CBS from 1960 to 1962 and on ABC from 1962 to 1963. Following that, reruns were shown on ABC-TV in the early afternoon for several years.
On November 22, 1963, the third-season episode "Man About Town" was being rerun on several ABC affiliates, mostly in the Mountain Time Zone (WABC-TV in New York was airing a local repeat of The Ann Sothern Show), when at 1:42 PM EST, ABC News broke into the program with the first bulletin of the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas, Texas.
The facade of the Anderson house depicted in the series' opening credits is the same structure used as Mr. George Wilson's home in the television series Dennis the Menace and again, in remodeled form, as Captain/Major Anthony Nelson's residence in I Dream of Jeannie. Originally built in 1941 during the production of a series of Blondie movies, this theatrical property continued to serve for many more years as part of the backlot of Columbia Pictures (now Warner Brothers Ranch in Burbank, California). The house can also be seen in both its familiar Father Knows Best style and later renovated variations in episodes of Hazel, Bewitched, The Monkees, The Partridge Family and in numerous other television comedies and dramas.
1977 reunion movies
Cast photo from Father Knows Best Reunion. Standing, from left: Elinor Donahue, Robert Young and Jane Wyatt. Seated: Lauren Chapin and Billy Gray.
The TV cast reunited for a pair of TV movies on NBC: Father Knows Best Reunion on May 15, 1977 and Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas on December 18, 1977. In the 17 years since the series ended, the characters of Betty and Bud had both gotten married and had families of their own. Betty was the widowed mother of two girls, Jenny (Cari Anne Warder) and Ellen (Kyle Richards), while Bud and his wife, Jean (Susan Adams) were the parents of a son, Robert "Robby" (Christopher Gardner). Kathy, meanwhile, had become engaged to a doctor, Jason Harper (played by Hal England).[5]
List of episodes
Season 1 (1954–55)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Bud Takes Up the Dance" | James Neilson | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | October 3, 1954 | |
| Bud asks a girl named Marcia to go to a dance with him - his first dance, and his first date. He is trying to learn how to dance from a book over 50 years old. When his family finds out, he is embarrassed. Jim goes to talk to Marcia and it turns out she doesn't know how to dance either. He teaches her how. Betty helps Bud learn some dance steps. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Lesson in Citizenship" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | October 10, 1954 | |
| Jim, dismayed at his children's laziness, lectures them in the importance of good citizenship and cheerful volunteering. When each of them later heed his advice and try to do their part in the community, their efforts end up complicating his own life in unexpected ways. But, in the end, all of his complications wind up helping many people. Eddy Waller appears as Will Potter, a man who gets one of Jim's suits. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "The Motor Scooter" | William D. Russell | Story by: Dick Conway & Paul West, Teleplay by: Harry Clork & Sumner Arthur Long | October 17, 1954 | |
| Jim purchases a motor scooter for Bud for $50. Margaret does not want him to have it because she doesn't believe he is responsible enough. Jim backs down and sells it to a Fred Hartley for $40. Meanwhile, Betty wants to wear a low-cut dress and Jim is against that. Bud winds up buying the scooter from Mr. Hartley for $30 because Mrs. Hartley didn't want her son to have it. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Football Tickets" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | October 24, 1954 | |
| Jim has an extra ticket for the big football game, and since Margaret cannot go, Betty is chosen. A friend of Jim's visits him and says he will buy insurance from Jim if he gets the extra ticket, so Jim has to tell Betty she cannot go. Margaret suggests Jim give his ticket to the friend and Betty can still go. The only problem is the tickets are in a shirt that was sent to the laundry. Mix ups ensue, but eventually Betty, Bud, Kathy, the friend and Jim wind up at the game. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Live My Own Life" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | October 31, 1954 | |
| Tired of being told what to do by his parents, Bud announces he is moving out. Bud finds a place to stay and thinks he will enjoy his independence. But, he almost immediately regrets his decision. Bud and the family have to find a way for him to move home again without hurting anyone's pride. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Grandpa Jim's Rejuvenation" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Phil Davis | November 7, 1954 | |
| Jim gets invited to play badminton with friends and starts to remember (with rose-colored glasses) his youth and college days. But then he looks at his children and sees how fast they are going up. Now, he feels very old and that his best days are behind him. Margaret and the children hatch a plan to make him feel young again. Donald Curtis appears as Eddie Gilbert, an old friend of Jim's. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Bud's Encounter with the Law" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | November 14, 1954 | |
| Kathy plays with the new washing machine and keeps throwing everything in it. She puts Betty's items for her "Girls in Government Club" in and they get ruined. Kathy also puts the mail in, including a letter to Bud from the police. Bud thinks he's in trouble because he took some old oil drums from an alley to make a raft. After a lot of panic, it turns out he left his wallet at the police station when he got his bike license. Stafford Repp appears as a policeman. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Thanksgiving Day" | William D. Russell | Story by: Ed James, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | November 21, 1954 | |
| The family prepares for Thanksgiving. Kathy has to write a poem for a school project. She is selected as the winner in her class and the family is proud. Jim goes really overboard in his thought that there is a future celebrity in the family. But when Betty reads the poem, Jim thinks it is not as good as it should be and Kathy is upset. | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Second Honeymoon" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | November 28, 1954 | |
| Jim and Margaret plan a second honeymoon trip, and decide Betty & Bud are old enough to watch the house and Kathy by themselves. However, they are suspicious when the children are anxious for them to be out of the house, with Betty even saying she'll just cancel her date. So off Jim and Margaret go, although on the drive out of town they are already missing the kids. The boy Betty broke the date with keeps calling her, so she decides to stop answering the phone. Worried when no one picks up the phone, Margaret and Jim race back home, only to find everything is fine. Back at the lodge Jim and Margaret are now enjoying the rustic room they booked, and out from an adjoining room come Betty, Bud and Kathy to say goodnight. | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Typical Father" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | December 5, 1954 | |
| Jim is obsessed with the idea that his 17-year old daughter might elope. Betty and her co-star in the school play, Armand, are rehearsing the play, which has an elopement as part of the plot. When Betty gets a road map and a suitcase for props for the play, Jim jumps to the wrong conclusion. Jim follows Armand to the Justice of the Peace, where he and Margaret find Armand acting as a witness as his father officiates at a wedding. Embarrassed, Jim and Margaret return home to be confronted by Betty and have to explain where they were. | ||||||
| 11 | 11 | "Margaret Goes Dancing" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | December 12, 1954 | |
| Margaret's friend Myrtle (Vivi Janiss) tells her that she and her husband Ed (Robert Foulk) are taking dance lessons. Thinking that they are in a rut, Margaret tries to trick Jim into lessons, but he finds out the plan from Myrtle's husband. Jim doesn't want to go, so he goes to the club instead, where he has a boring time. Margaret goes to the dance lesson, which is a bit too much for her. They both realize they liked their life the way it is. | ||||||
| 12 | 12 | "The Christmas Story" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | December 19, 1954 | |
| Upset with his children's materialistic approach to the holiday season, Jim insists the family drive to the mountains to chop down the family Christmas tree. Their car gets stuck in a snow drift far from the nearest phone. The Anderson family takes refuge in a mountain lodge closed for the season and are befriended by a man named Nick (Wallace Ford), apparently the caretaker, who teaches the Anderson children the delights of a simple holiday. When ranger Les Turner (William Traylor) shows up, the family finds out that Nick is a vagrant and shouldn't be there. Jim talks the ranger into letting everyone stay and to not let Nick know they know his secret. | ||||||
| 13 | 13 | "Sparrow in the Window" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | December 26, 1954 | |
| Kathy finds a injured bird outside one of the windows at home. She brings it in to nurse it back to health. Everyone in the family also helps care for the bird and at the same time, the healing helps themselves. | ||||||
| 14 | 14 | "Boy's Week" | William D. Russell | Story by: Ed James, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | January 2, 1955 | |
| Kathy is accused of breaking a neighbor's window for the third time in the month, but she claims she didn't do it. Jim gets a ticket for parking in front of a driveway, but he claims he didn't do it. For a school project, Bud's class is given jobs in the real world. Bud is Traffic Court Judge for the day - the day that Jim goes in to fight his ticket. | ||||||
| 15 | 15 | "A Friend of Old George's" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | January 9, 1955 | |
| It's Kathy's birthday and she tries to find the cake and presents before the celebration. A man named Lyle (Parley Baer) shows up claiming to be a friend of Jim's old friend George. Now that he's here, they can't seem to get rid of him. Kathy thinks he is ruining her party. Jim finds a way to get Lyle to leave and they rush off to the circus. But when they get there, it is sold out. Lyle shows up and it turns out he's the circus manager. He gets tickets for the family. | ||||||
| 16 | 16 | "Bud the Snob" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | January 16, 1955 | |
|
Everyone at school thinks Bud is a snob because he does not talk to a lot of people. It is actually because he is terribly shy, especially around girls. But when Bud wears a Halloween mask he has all the confidence he needs. Bud talks Jim into hosting a masquerade party at home to show his friends he is not a snob. When the mask goes missing, Jim tricks Bud by pretending to draw a mask on his face with makeup. Note: Most of the scenes shot in this episode were later reused in the season five episode 11 also called "Bud the Snob." The only things added were a new introductory scene and closing scene. | ||||||
| 17 | 17 | "The Promised Playhouse" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | January 23, 1955 | |
| To get Kathy to take medicine, Jim promises he would sleep with her in a play house. A month later, Jim is telling the family how important it is to keep a promise. Jim forgot about his promise to Kathy. Kathy builds a play house and now Jim must reluctantly keep his promise. | ||||||
| 18 | 18 | "Jim, the Farmer" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | January 30, 1955 | |
| Stressed out from the daily grind at work, Jim decides to quit the insurance business. He talks his friend Lloyd (John Alvin) into running his office. Jim plans to move out West, and run a farm - much to the dismay of his family. Jim keeps calling the office asking how Lloyd is doing and his secretary keeps saying just great. Even though in actuality, things are a mess. After a long talk with the office cleaning lady (Mary Young), Jim realizes his place is there. | ||||||
| 19 | 19 | "Father of the Year" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | February 6, 1955 | |
| The local newspaper is hosting a Father of the Year contest. Betty, Bud, and Kathy want to nominate Jim. Jim finds out and is overjoyed that his children want to submit an entry. But the kids cannot think of anything to actually write. Jim later puts his foot down on some of the things the children want to do. The children eventually realize that Jim is doing it for their own good and they write a very nice entry. | ||||||
| 20 | 20 | "The Mink Coat" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | February 13, 1955 | |
| Jim calls a family meeting because there has been too much spending recently and they must cut expenses. Just when he tells everyone to save money, Jim gets a deal on a mink coat. He buys it, but then has to justify his purchase to the kids. Though Margaret loves the coat, she feels she would be showing off when she wears it. A Mrs. Morell (June Vincent) sees Margaret in her coat, and proceeds to ask Jim for a large donation for the Women's League. Will the coat cause more problems than it's worth? | ||||||
| 21 | 21 | "The Matchmaker" | William D. Russell | Story by: Ed James, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | February 20, 1955 | |
| Margaret's cousin Louise is visiting. The Andersons have a dinner party for Louise (Lyn Guild) and her boyfriend Tom (William Hudson). Margaret hopes Tom will propose to Louise. Margaret does everything to make the mood romantic, despite the children's interruptions. In the end, it's Louise who proposes to Tom. | ||||||
| 22 | 22 | "Bud the Bridesmaid" | William D. Russell | Story by: Ed James, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | February 27, 1955 | |
| Margaret's cousin Louise is getting married. The wedding preparations are underway with food, chairs, flowers and more. Jim is starting to get concerned about the price. Louise is nervous and Tom is weary. Louise & Tom have an argument and say the wedding is canceled. Margaret comes up with a plan to get them back together. | ||||||
| 23 | 23 | "Proud Father" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | March 6, 1955 | |
| Jim runs into Roger Garland (John Gallaudet), an old friend, who brags about his family members and all their achievements. Bud is afraid of a school bully, Kathy is worried about a loose tooth, and Betty is afraid she'll forget a dance routine. Jim tells them that they can't be afraid and must stand up to their problems. Margaret volunteers Jim to MC the performance, but he says he's not a public speaker and if his kids can't stand up for themselves, he can't either. The children confront their fears. | ||||||
| 24 | 24 | "Father Delivers the Papers" | William D. Russell | Dane Lussier & Roswell Rogers | March 13, 1955 | |
| Mr. Collins (Dabbs Greer), the newspaper route manager, tells Jim that Bud is slacking in his paper delivery route. Bud has every excuse as to why he cannot do it and says the people on the route can be quite difficult. The manager gives him one more chance. Bud is unable to finish the route due to minor injuries. Jim tries to finish the route for Bud, even though it is raining. Jim comes to realize that Bud may have been right about the route. | ||||||
| 25 | 25 | "No Partiality" | William D. Russell | Story by: Cally Curtis & Virginia Lindsey, Teleplay by: John Kohn, Alan Woods & Roswell Rogers | March 20, 1955 | |
| Kathy is upset because all she seems to get are hand-me-downs. Jim and Margaret decide to treat her with more equality in privileges. When Betty wants to invite a boy to dinner, Kathy invites a boy first. Turns out it is the same boy. When the boy shows up, the girls battle for his attention. Jim has to come up with a way to make them both happy. | ||||||
| 26 | 26 | "Close Decision" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | March 27, 1955 | |
| Margaret is upset that Bud is not doing his chores lately. Bud wants to go play in a baseball game, but Margaret puts her foot down and says he must rake the leaves first. When Jim finds out that the team is losing, he sneaks Bud out to go play. The team almost wins, but in the final play of the game there is a question of whether Bud tagged the player out at home. Admitting he didn't tag the player costs them the game, but he gains the respect of many for telling the truth. | ||||||
Season 2 (1955–56)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 1 | "Art of Salesmanship" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | August 31, 1955 | |
| Jim believes that Bud has no drive. Bud wants to sell gravy boats which he thinks will be an easy sell. Jim thinks it's great that Bud wants to do something on his own. Bud soon learns there is more to selling than just asking people to buy. Jim helps him learn some selling tips. But, Bud still has a hard time. Jim realizes he's pushing Bud to hard to be the salesman that he is. | ||||||
| 28 | 2 | "Father's Private Life" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | September 7, 1955 | |
| Jim thinks the children ask him to solve their problems too much. He decides they need to start finding their own solutions, so he can have some time to himself. Meanwhile Kathy and her friend Patty have taken a cardboard cutout from a movie theater. She's afraid she'll get into big trouble and writes a note saying she's going to hide-out somewhere. Jim has a change of heart and decides he would rather have the children share their problems with him. | ||||||
| 29 | 3 | "Lessons in Civics" | William D. Russell | Story by: Ed James, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | September 14, 1955 | |
| The town is undergoing new construction, and when Jim learns the old meeting hall is being torn down, he is upset. It is a memorial for the town since it has so much history. The children in their own way try to stop the building from being torn down. Kathy writes a letter to the mayor and repeats some unkind things Jim said about him. When at the Mayor's to apologize, Jim is volunteered into helping plan a new park where the building can be moved to. | ||||||
| 30 | 4 | "First Disillusionment" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | September 21, 1955 | |
| Bud wants to apply for a job in a sports department. His resume has some embellishments, but his father tells him to only tell the truth. When he applies, he does not get the job because his friend Eddie (Peter Miles) embellished his resume and was hired. Bud is now upset with Jim, because honesty got him nowhere. Bud finds out that Eddie got fired because the store found out he lied on his resume. | ||||||
| 31 | 5 | "Woman in the House" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | September 28, 1955 | |
| Virge (Harry Hickox), an old friend of Jim's visits him at work and announces he and his wife Jill (Mary Webster) have moved to Springfield. Jim & Margaret invite the couple to dinner. While Virge is well liked and enjoyed, his wife is quite obnoxious and not so pleasant. Virge has to leave town for a few days and he asks Jim if Jill could stay at his place. Margaret just can't seem to get along with Jill. But when Margaret finds out that Jill doesn't have any friends and has a hard time making them, Margaret has a change of heart. | ||||||
| 32 | 6 | "New Girl at School" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | October 5, 1955 | |
| A new family moves into the area. They have a son Kathy's age and a daughter Bud's age. Kathy and Grover become friends. Bud and his friend Joe both like April. Turns out April is a flirt who tries to get all the boys to do her bidding, especially Bud. Bud falls for April until he figures out that she is using him. | ||||||
| 33 | 7 | "Kathy Makes Magic" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman Epstein & Roswell Rogers, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | October 12, 1955 | |
| Kathy trades her skates for a friend's magic set, and then believes she can make anything disappear or change appearance as long as she waves the magic wand. When she does magic while Bud and his friend Joe try smoking cigars, she thinks she made Bud sick. After she finds out that Joe is sick as well, she believes it's her fault even more. Questions are answered when Jim finds the cigar butts. Harry Antrim appears as Dr. Conrad. | ||||||
| 34 | 8 | "Advantage to Betty" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | October 19, 1955 | |
| A newspaper reporter (Charles Tannen) takes pictures and writes an article for the paper on the girl's tennis team. The picture used is of Betty, the least talented member of the team, and it looks like she is a champion player. Betty is not happy because teammate Eula's picture should have been used as she is team captain and a great player. Betty then gets invited to a sports writer's banquet, but is unsure about it. Jim helps the girls to become friends and to get Eula to go to the banquet. | ||||||
| 35 | 9 | "The Big Test" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | October 26, 1955 | |
| Bud studies a lot for a test. For once, he knows the material and does well on the test. Since this is a change from his previous tests, the teacher assumes he must have cheated. An even more important test is coming up. The teacher thinks Bud may have seen the test questions ahead of time. Bud gets an almost perfect paper and is again suspected of cheating. Jim finds a way to prove Bud didn't cheat. | ||||||
| 36 | 10 | "Father is a Dope" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | November 2, 1955 | |
| Jim watches a family sitcom on television and thinks the father is displayed as an idiot who needs his wife to always save the day. The next day, Jim suspects his own family is trying to show Jim how much Margaret has to save the day. Jim wants to go on a hunting trip, but all these little family problems come up. Jim believes Margaret is staging all of them. In the end, Jim stays home. But was it really Margaret's doing? Robert Foulk appears as Ed Davis, Jim's friend and hunting partner. | ||||||
| 37 | 11 | "The Spirit of Youth" | William D. Russell | Dorothy Cooper | November 9, 1955 | |
| Bud thinks his parents are old, but Jim & Margaret do not feel old. Jim receives an invitation for his college reunion. Jim & Margaret attend the reunion. They realize that while they are not old, they are not teenagers and are glad of it. | ||||||
| 38 | 12 | "Bud, the Ladykiller" | William D. Russell | Sumner Arthur Long & Dorothy Cooper | November 16, 1955 | |
| A classmate named Dora calls Bud because she has quite the crush on him. He is rude to her because she is the least popular girl in school and considered a nerd. Jim tells Bud that he has to apologize. Bud tries, but the girl does not accept his apology and tells him off. To make her feel better he asks her to the prom and talks her up to all his friends. In the end, Dora decides to go to the prom with someone else and Bud now knows what it's like to be rejected. | ||||||
| 39 | 13 | "Margaret's Premonition" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | November 30, 1955 | |
| Margaret has a few lucky coincidences about things she thinks about and things that happen. Everyone tells her she has premonition and she starts to believe it. Jim needs to go out of town for an insurance deal and Margaret has a bad feeling about it. She tries to get him to call it off. When Jim insists on going, Margaret goes behind his back and has the meeting postponed. It turns out the road Jim was going use was washed out in a storm and it's a good thing he didn't go. | ||||||
| 40 | 14 | "Stage to Yuma" | William D. Russell | Story by: Marvin De Vries, Teleplay by: D.D. Beauchamp | December 7, 1955 | |
|
Robert Young plays the role of Tate Ibsen, one of the passengers riding a stagecoach through Arizona in the year 1860. One passenger named Duece (Rayford Barnes) has been convicted of murder and is handcuffed to a deputy. Tate Ibsen's plan to spring him loose before they reach the Yuma Penitentiary runs into complications when the stage is attacked by Indians. Despite not being trusted, Ibsen manages to still save the lives of a school teacher named Miss Quimby and a young boy named Porfio. Note: Robert Young opens the show by saying... "For tonight only, while the family's on vacation, we have the opportunity to present a special program. It's a dramatic story set in Arizona in the year 1860. In a few seconds, when again we meet, I'll be one of five passengers riding the stage to Yuma, which happens to be the title of our story." | ||||||
| 41 | 15 | "Bad Influence" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman J. Epstein, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | December 14, 1955 | |
| Bud starts hanging out with Arty, a new friend from school. Arty keeps giving Bud gifts and Margaret is suspicious as to how Arty's getting them. Bud wants to buy a frogman outfit, but doesn't have the money. Arty takes money from Kathy's piggy bank to give to Bud. When Margaret finds out, Bud takes the blame. Other things happen that makes Jim think Bud is behind them. When Arty sees how Bud stuck his neck out for him, Arty admits to it all. | ||||||
| 42 | 16 | "Betty Hates Carter" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | December 28, 1955 | |
| Betty is horrified when her father sets her up on a blind date with Carter Mawson (Robert Easton), the son of one of Jim's business associates. Betty plans to make sure the date is a bad one, but she finds she is actually starting to like Carter. However, Betty pretends to not like him. When a dinner dance comes up, Betty sets Carter up with a friend of hers, Janie Little (Cindy Robbins), thinking he likes her more. Janie realizes how much Betty really likes Carter, so she tells him she is sick and that he should take Betty. | ||||||
| 43 | 17 | "Jim, the Tyrant" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman Epstein, Teleplay by: Herman Epstein & Roswell Rogers | January 4, 1956 | |
| Jim comes home after a very bad day at work. Wanting to tell the family about his day, he is miffed when they ignore him. He starts complaining about everyone and everything around the house. The next day Kathy brakes a window and spills Betty's perfume when everyone ignores her. She is so afraid of what Jim will do. It is now up to Jim to calm Kathy down and explain to her how a family works when it is out of harmony. | ||||||
| 44 | 18 | "Betty's Brother" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman Epstein, Teleplay by: Paul West | January 11, 1956 | |
| While Kathy is proud of her big sister Betty, Bud has to always follow in her footsteps at school and he finds it hard to do. Everyone expects more of Bud because Betty always gave so much. Bud starts to do worse in his classes. The family tries hard to help Bud gain some confidence. Betty comes up with the solution. Sam Flint appears as Mr. Armstead, the principal. Claudia Bryar appears as Miss Woodruff, Bud's teacher. | ||||||
| 45 | 19 | "Betty Earns a Formal" | William D. Russell | Paul West | January 18, 1956 | |
| It seems like only bills are coming in the mail, and everyone is asking for money. When Betty asks for money to buy a dress for a country club dance, Jim tells her to earn the money herself. After speaking with Mr. Fredericks (Grandon Rhodes), whose daughter just got married and moved away, Jim has a change of heart about the dress. Betty says "no thank you" when Jim offers to buy the dress. She got a job and won't let anyone know where. | ||||||
| 46 | 20 | "The House Painter" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | January 26, 1956 | |
| The Andersons hire Mr. Everett (Parker Fennelly) to paint the house. Jim and Margaret have a discussion about whether someone does the job for the money or for the sense of accomplishment and integrity. They make a bet to see who is right. Jim then asks Mr. Everett to use cheap paint on the house, knowing his integrity would not let him do it. Everett says OK, but what Jim doesn't know is that Everett is not happy about it and still buys the good paint. | ||||||
| 47 | 21 | "Bud, the Wallflower" | William D. Russell | Paul West | February 1, 1956 | |
| Bud is upset that none of the girls asked him to the Sadie Hawkins Dance. He feels he has become unpopular. Bud decides to plan a camping trip the same day as the dance as a way to show he does not care. Bud's friends that were to go camping with him, back out when they are asked to the dance. Now, Bud feels worse than ever. It turns out a girl named Wanda gave Kathy a note asking Bud to the dance, but Kathy forgot to give it to him. Before it's too late, Kathy remembers. | ||||||
| 48 | 22 | "The Bus to Nowhere" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | February 8, 1956 | |
| Betty is depressed and finds every day events dull. She is not sure what she is looking for. Betty hears Bud read a paper he's written about a bus that goes nowhere. She decides to go to the bus station and take a trip to wherever nine dollars will get her. While there, she helps an old man (John Qualen) who got off at the wrong stop and is lost and confused. In doing so, Betty feels much better about herself. | ||||||
| 49 | 23 | "Kathy, the Indian Giver" | William D. Russell | Kay Lenard | February 15, 1956 | |
| Kathy trades her baby doll for a neighborhood friend's baby sibling. Jim tries to explain to Kathy that one can't trade human beings, but she doesn't understand. Even Bud and Betty try to make Kathy feel better, but she says all she wants is her baby. In the end, Kathy realizes she was being stubborn and apologizes. | ||||||
| 50 | 24 | "The Historical Andersons" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman Epstein & Roswell Rogers, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | February 22, 1956 | |
| Bud has to write a paper on a historical figure from the Revolutionary War. Jim suggests an ancestor - Major Nathaniel Anderson, and says he must be important if he was a major. Bud tells everyone at school about the famous relative. It becomes a very big deal in the school and the town. Bud then researches, and finds the Major was a minor in the war. | ||||||
| 51 | 25 | "The Grass is Greener" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman Epstein, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | February 29, 1956 | |
| Jim is excited to tell his family that his college friend Charlie (Frank Wilcox) is being interviewed on television. Charlie is quite successful. The more Jim talks about Charlie's success, the more Jim feels he is not a success. Charlie comes by the house and tells Jim what a wonderful life he must have. In the end, Jim realizes he has everything he wants. Paul Harvey appears as Mr. Gribble, another man that makes Jim feel unsuccessful. | ||||||
| 52 | 26 | "The Persistent Guest" | William D. Russell | Paul West | March 7, 1956 | |
| Bud has a new friend named Fred Wyman who helps tutor him in Algebra. When Fred stays over at the Andersons, he never seems to want to go home. The Andersons find out the boy is homeless and has no money. Jim introduces Fred to Lou (Ray Walker) and Grace (Virginia Christine) Miller, a couple who have been wanting a boy like Bud. The Millers instantly know that Fred is the boy for them. | ||||||
| 53 | 27 | "Family Reunion" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | March 14, 1956 | |
| Margaret's family is planning a reunion. While Margaret is excited, Jim and the children are not. They all make excuses to not go because it is boring. An irritated and disappointed Margaret says they will not go. Jim must now figure out a way to let Margaret know they're sorry and convince her to go. Lillian Powell appears as Cousin Ione. | ||||||
| 54 | 28 | "Family Dines Out" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman Epstein & Roswell Rogers, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | March 28, 1956 | |
| Betty promises a wealthy friend that her family will attend an exclusive charity dinner. Jim is not interested in going because he thinks Betty just wants to show off. After realizing Betty is in a bind, Jim agrees to go. Meanwhile, Bud needs the family to eat at the modest drugstore counter where he has just gotten his first job on the same night. How will the Anderson's resolve this dilemma? | ||||||
| 55 | 29 | "Bud, the Boxer" | William D. Russell | Story by: Ben Gershman & Paul West, Teleplay by: Paul West | April 4, 1956 | |
| Bud tries to avoid Eddie Jarvis, a bully at school, but Jim tells Bud he cannot avoid his problems forever. Jim suggests the boys get in a boxing ring and have a clean fight. Bud loses the fight. Jim talks Bud into talking some boxing lessons. Next time Bud fights Eddie he wins, and joins the boxing team. Soon, Bud starts to get a big head and wants to take on the high school champion. This time Bud doesn't do as well. | ||||||
| 56 | 30 | "Betty, Girl Engineer" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | April 11, 1956 | |
| Betty's school hosts a career day where the students can sign up to intern at a job. Betty says she wants a civil engineer position. On her first day, she meets Doyle Hobbs (Roger Smith), the head surveyor. He gives Betty a hard time as he believes a woman's place is in the home. An angry and frustrated Betty leaves the job site. Doyle comes by the Anderson house to see Betty and it seems she has given up the idea of engineering. | ||||||
| 57 | 31 | "The Martins and the Coys" | William D. Russell | Paul West | April 18, 1956 | |
| Jim has an argument with Frank Tyler (Tris Coffin) about his insurance which was cancelled. Jim and Mr. Tyler decide they no longer need to contact each other and their friendship is over. However, Betty is dating Frank's son Bob. The situation is awkward. Both families insist that Jim and Frank should make up, which they eventually do. Ann Doran appears as Frank's wife, Dorothy. | ||||||
| 58 | 32 | "Dilemma for Margaret" | William D. Russell | Kay Lenard | April 25, 1956 | |
| Margaret is to give a speech on child guidance. Jim tells her to speak about how well she raised her children. A high school club initiation prank lands Betty on the wrong side of the law. Jim and Margaret find out Betty was involved. Margaret tells Betty that unless she tells Principle Armstead (Sam Flint), she would tell the PTA she couldn't give the speech. Betty does the right thing and talks to the Principle. Eilene Janssen appears as Evelyn, Betty's friend who was in on the prank. | ||||||
| 59 | 33 | "Hero Father" | William D. Russell | Story by: Dorothy Cooper & Herman Epstein, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | May 2, 1956 | |
| Baseball star Duke Snider and his All-Stars are touring the country and all the guys are hoping they would stop in Springfield and give an exhibition game. Bud says his father might be able to convince Duke to stop. Jack Bramer (Kenneth Tobey ), is the father of Sandy (Tommy Ivo), one of Bud's friends. He offers Jim the money up front that would be needed to get the All-Stars to appear. But, Jack wants a political favor in return , which Jim refuses to do. When Jack finds out that Jim took the blame for the game falling through, he has a change of heart. | ||||||
| 60 | 34 | "Father, the Naturalist" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | May 9, 1956 | |
| Kathy must complete a nature folder for a school club by the next day. Jim and Kathy head outside to explore and search nature. Kathy accidentally leaves the folder out in the forest. Feeling bad, Jim goes out in the middle of the night to try and find the folder. | ||||||
| 61 | 35 | "The Ten-Dollar Question" | William D. Russell | Story by: Barbara Avedon, Teleplay by: Barbara Avedon & Dorothy Cooper | May 16, 1956 | |
| One of the kids is suspected of stealing $10 that all were hoping to win in an anti-snitching contest that Jim started. Jim becomes increasingly disappointed when none of the children confess. Then, to make things even more confusing, each of the children tell Jim they took the money to cover for each other. Turns out that Margaret found the money and put it back in Jim's wallet. Wilson Wood appears as a delivery man. Frank Sully appears as a waiter. | ||||||
| 62 | 36 | "Adopted Daughter" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers and Carl Herzinger Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | May 23, 1956 | |
| Alicia May, one of Kathy's classmates, is adopted and it gets the other classmates to wonder who else might be adopted. Kathy finds a receipt from an adoption agency and is sure it refers to her. Believing that the family is going to kick her out, Kathy runs away. She goes to Alicia May's house and tells her she's adopted as well. Alicia May tells Kathy that adopted children are special, because they were chosen. | ||||||
| 63 | 37 | "Betty's Graduation" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | May 30, 1956 | |
| Betty's high school graduation is approaching and there is a lot to do. Betty starts to think the best days of her life are now over and does not want to graduate. With the help of Margaret's diary, Jim convinces Betty that the best things are ahead for her. | ||||||
Season 3 (1956–57)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | 1 | "No Apron Strings" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | September 16, 1956 | |
| Bud has a new girlfriend named Georgia (Denise Alexander). Georgia is getting a little upset because it seems every time she wants Bud to be with her, he has to run an errand for his mother. To prove he can do what he wants, he makes a date with her for Friday night. What Bud forgets is that it is the same night as his mother's birthday party. Frank Puglia appears as Mr. Amaldi, Georgia's father. | ||||||
| 65 | 2 | "Never the Twain" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | September 19, 1956 | |
| A cowboy named Utah (John Smith) that Betty met on a dude ranch over the summer is stopping in Springfield on his way to Chicago. He was everything Betty dreamed about and she has incredible memories of their time together. But, when he shows up, he is not the man Betty remembered. Jim explains to her how time can build up an image of someone and she should hold on to those memories. A Flashback is used to show how they met. | ||||||
| 66 | 3 | "Betty Goes to College" | Peter Tewksbury | Story by: Herman Epstein, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper & Roswell Rogers | September 26, 1956 | |
| Jim & Margaret take Betty to State University, to look things over. It is the same college that Jim and Margaret went to and they expect Betty to go there as well. Betty, however, announces she wants to stay in town and go to the junior college with her friends. Dean Walton (Ray Collins) helps Jim to understand that Betty needs to make her own choice. | ||||||
| 67 | 4 | "Man About Town" | Peter Tewksbury | Dorothy Cooper | October 3, 1956 | |
| Bud's friend has his cousin Marissa coming to town. Marissa (Kathleen Case) is older than Bud, but he wants to go out with her. He pretends to be older so he seems more sophisticated. When Marissa wants to go to a night club, Bud does not have enough money and is not old enough to get in. Jim suggests they double date so he can get into the club. The Great Merado (Philip Van Zandt), a mind-reader at the club, picks Bud and reveals all. | ||||||
| 68 | 5 | "The Homing Pigeon" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | October 10, 1956 | |
| After several test runs with his pigeon Charlie, Bud sends him on a 500 mile trip and waits for him to return home. Meanwhile, Betty announces she is moving into an apartment with a friend of hers named Jean. Will Betty and the pigeon both return home? | ||||||
| 69 | 6 | "Spaghetti for Margaret" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | October 17, 1956 | |
| Margaret wins a raffle: free spaghetti dinner once a week for a year. Also, Jim's old friend Harper (Herb Butterfield) visits. Years ago Harper sold a piece to a magazine, quit teaching, and was determined to start enjoying the good life as an author. He has interesting stories to tell but never had success. In his mind, he keeps believing that some day someone will throw him a banquet to celebrate his writings. Margaret arranges to get all her free meals on one night and throws a banquet for Harper. | ||||||
| 70 | 7 | "Betty's Birthday" | Peter Tewksbury | Story by: Herman Epstein, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | October 24, 1956 | |
| It's Betty's 18th birthday. Everyone makes an extra effort to get Betty presents. After hearing a lecture a school, Betty decides it's primitive to give gifts and she tells the family she doesn't want any presents. Betty comes to realize what joy the family gets from giving her the gifts. Eleanor Audley appears as a saleslady. | ||||||
| 71 | 8 | "Bud, the Millionaire" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | October 31, 1956 | |
| Bud feels he is being underpaid in his allowance, and he has to work to earn it. Jim decides to teach him a lesson by giving him $10 a week and the stipulation is he can only use it on himself. Bud finds having money does not buy friends. Plus, Jim's birthday is coming up and Bud wants to get him a present, but he can't use the money he was given. Bud learns it's no fun having money if you didn't work for it and you can't share it with others. | ||||||
| 72 | 9 | "The Old Days" | Peter Tewksbury | Dorothy Cooper | November 7, 1956 | |
| Jim & Margaret plan to go to the PTA costume party. They were going to wear clothes from their youth that was stored in the attic, but Betty said they would look ridiculous. They decide to wear the clothes kids wear now-a-days to the party. At the party, Jim explains to Betty that every generation has different styles and we should except that. When Jim and Margaret come home they find Betty and Bud dressed in their old clothes from the attic. | ||||||
| 73 | 10 | "Whistle Bait" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | November 14, 1956 | |
| Betty becomes jealous of a new girl in school named Diane Mills (Mary Ellen Kay), who is getting whistled at by all the boys. Betty wonders why no one will whistle at her. Betty, as freshman counselor, is assigned to help Diane make friends and she is not happy about it. Diane asks Betty why none of the other girls will talk to her. Betty comes to realize that Diane is really a nice person and they become friends. | ||||||
| 74 | 11 | "The Great Guy" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | November 21, 1956 | |
| Bud and Kippy go to work at a newspaper company. Their boss, Sinclair Bruder (Whit Bissell), is a real tough taskmaster. Bud would like to quit, but he can't because he made such a big deal out of getting a job to his parents. After telling Mr. Bruder off, Bud believes he's going to be fired. Turns out Mr. Bruder recommends Bud for a better position, because he knows he's a good worker and not a quitter. Bud turns the job down, because he's says he wants to stay with Mr. Bruder. | ||||||
| 75 | 12 | "The Family Goes to New York" | Peter Tewksbury | Dorothy Cooper | November 28, 1956 | |
| Jim is hesitant to let Betty go to New York alone, but Margaret convinces him to let her go. Betty is going to NY to help her friend Barbara (Ann Baker) on her wedding day. Betty and Barbara are wined and dined by Barbara's rich Aunt Martha. Imagine the family's surprise when a picture of Betty and best man Tony show up in the newspaper. Tony has been showing Betty the town and she starts to fall for him. Jim and Margaret go to NY to check up on Betty. While out to dinner, they see Tony with another girl. Betty realizes he was just being a nice guy and she let her emotions get the better of her. | ||||||
| 76 | 13 | "Betty Goes Steady" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers Based on an Article by: Cameron Shipp | December 5, 1956 | |
| At college, Betty is enjoying the social life and is going steady with a casual acquaintance named Roger Kohlhoff. Betty is happy to follow the social rules for acceptance by the college's "In Crowd" that dictates who's acceptable & who's not. Bud works on the high school paper and brings home Mr. Beekman (Robert Vaughn), the paper's adviser. Mr. Beekman encourages asking "Why?" of anyone or anything that demands unquestioning obedience. At first this doesn't sit well with Betty, but then she comes to realize Beekman was right. | ||||||
| 77 | 14 | "The Good Prospect" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | December 12, 1956 | |
| Jim meets Aldus Lydum (Don Beddoe) while visiting his friend Virg Carlson (Harry Hickox), and thinks this might lead to a new insurance client. Aldus invites Jim & Margaret to visit he and his wife that night. Mr. Lydum acts as if everyone is a long-standing friend and that he has a lot of money. He agrees to sponsor Bud's bowling team and to buy boxes of donuts from Kathy, but at first doesn't come through. Mrs. Lydum tells Jim and Betty that Aldus is a loving man, but his fault is that he likes to feel important. In the end, he keeps his promise to the two children. | ||||||
| 78 | 15 | "The Angel's Sweater" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | December 19, 1956 | |
| Kathy is certain that the Andersons' Christmas Eve will be ruined by the visit of spinsterish Aunt Neva (Katherine Warren). After a water pipe bursts, Jim calls Mister Fixit (Ludwig Stössel). Kathy learns a valuable lesson when she stops pouting long enough to listen to a Christmas story told by the elderly repairman. The story is about the greatest gift, which is love. Kathy finds it in her heart to tell Aunt Neva she loves her. | ||||||
| 79 | 16 | "The Promising Young Man" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | December 26, 1956 | |
| John Seastrom, Jim's boss, asks Jim if he can show John's son Elwood (Richard Crenna) how to sell insurance. Jim agrees, and when Elwood shows up, the family finds him to be very charming and a lot of fun. However, his carefree nature and non-committal attitude leave Jim wondering if he can hold any job. Jim learns that these traits actually make Elwood sociable enough to work with clients. Willis Bouchey appears as Emmet Ward, one of Jim's clients. | ||||||
| 80 | 17 | "Margaret Hires a Gardener" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | January 2, 1957 | |
| Margaret hires a very special gardener named Frank (Natividad Vacío). However, the more Jim tries to find out how much Frank will charge and how long things will take, the less is actually answered. Jim decides that they have to let Frank go, but before Jim can tell him, Frank winds up in jail. The police thought Frank was taking flowers from a public park. With Jim's help, it is found out that he was actually planting the flowers. | ||||||
| 81 | 18 | "Swiss Family Anderson" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | January 9, 1957 | |
| Jack Griffin (Nelson Leigh), a friend of Jim's, is trying to talk Jim into buying an island that he owns. The family talks about how their home is outdated and falling apart. They go to visit the island and while there, their untied boat drifts away. They spend the day in a beat-up old sack. During the night Ranger Malone (Don C. Harvey), who found their empty boat, comes to rescue the family. Once back home, they realize their old house isn't so bad after all. | ||||||
| 82 | 19 | "Brief Holiday" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | January 16, 1957 | |
| Margaret gets tired of all the housework and demands of the children, expecting her to do their every whim. She decides to take a day off. She goes to a ritzy part of town, where she buys a hat, eats lunch at a French restaurant and has her portrait painted by a street artist (John Banner). When she returns home, the entire family wonders why nothings been done. Jim's imagination runs wild as he wonders why Margaret suddenly ran out. Margaret for her part feels frustrated that Jim doesn't believe her simple and honest explanation for her actions. In the end, Jim comes to understand. Vivi Janiss appears as Myrtle, Margaret's friend. | ||||||
| 83 | 20 | "The Lawn Party" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | January 23, 1957 | |
| Bud wants to have a lawn party at the Anderson's home the next day. Bud expects Jim & Margaret to do the work, without the teens even helping. Jim tells Bud if he can't get some of the other parents to help, then he cannot have the party. At first, no one volunteers. Then Mr. Messner (Fred Sherman), Mrs. Watkins (Paula Winslowe) and a bunch of other parents show up. Some of the parents comment on how the Anderson house is the place everyone would like to be at. | ||||||
| 84 | 21 | "Short Wave" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | January 30, 1957 | |
| Bud buys a shortwave radio and, while showing it off to the family, hears a distress call. A family had become caught in a tropical storm while offshore in their cabin cruiser, and the father was unable to transmit his desperate call for help to the Coast Guard ... leaving the Andersons as possibly the family's only hope. | ||||||
| 85 | 22 | "Carnival" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | February 6, 1957 | |
| Burt (Dick Foran), a carnival hustler, manages to fleece Bud out of six dollars he was supposed to use to get Jim's pants from the tailor. Bud and Kippy go back to Burt the next day and ask him how he manages to get people to spend their money. They wind up getting jobs at the carnival. Bud starts to enjoy the carnival lifestyle of tricking people out of their money. Bud was supposed to get paid the next day, but when he shows up, the carnival is gone. | ||||||
| 86 | 23 | "Betty and the Jet Pilot" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | February 13, 1957 | |
| Lt. Charles Baron, a jet pilot, encounters problems when flying over Springfield and loses his helmet. Bud finds the helmet and the family decides to find the pilot and return it. Betty and Charles start dating and Betty falls in love with him. Charles learns there's a chance he will be transferred to Alaska. If he doesn't go, he would like to marry Betty. The next day at 9 o'clock Betty will find out his fate. Ken Mayer appears as Colonel Shaine. | ||||||
| 87 | 24 | "Trip to Hillsborough" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | February 20, 1957 | |
| Bud and Kippy want to travel for new experiences and write exciting stories. They want to go to Hillsborough by themselves and stay over night. Jim and Margaret agree since both boys will be there. Kippy backs out at the last minute, so Bud winds up going by himself. Bud doesn't find all the excitement he thought he would. Horace McMahon appears as the truck driver who gives Bud a ride. Percy Helton appears as the Desk Clerk. Madge Blake, Ralph Sanford and Cheerio Meredith appear as hotel guests. | ||||||
| 88 | 25 | "An Evening to Remember" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | February 27, 1957 | |
| Cornel Wilde has a car accident while traveling through Springfield. The person who hit his car just happens to be Myron Hansen (Lloyd Corrigan), a client of Jim's. Due to a mix up with Jim's secretary, Cornel shows up at the Anderson home. While waiting for Jim to arrive home, the rest of the family falls all over him. Margaret invites him to stay to dinner and he agrees much to the excitement of all the Andersons. Jim discovers that Mr. Hansen has decided to make a 'killing' by embellishing the events and getting a big pay day from the movie star. Jim puts a stop to this and a grateful Cornel agrees to babysit with Kathy when the regular sitter cancels. The rest of the family leave to go to their respective commitments, but one by one each returns home early to spend the evening with their guest. | ||||||
| 89 | 26 | "Bud Buys a Car" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | March 13, 1957 | |
| Bud wants to buy a used car from a friend of his. Jim gives his approval, but Margaret is against it. Bud brings the car home and it is quite a wreck. Plus, Bud feels that no one cares or is as excited about it as he is. When Margaret and Betty see how hard Bud is working on the car, they feel sorry for him and decide to help. | ||||||
| 90 | 27 | "Safety First" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | March 20, 1957 | |
| Bud's unsafe driving habits at cross walks gets him into trouble with the law. To make matters worse, his father has just been appointed chairman of the city's safe driving campaign. Jim has to figure out how make Bud understand that he can't be that careless. Jim talks the Judge into making Bud a Crossing Guard for a day. Ethel May Halls appears as Mrs. Brian, the crossing guard. | ||||||
| 91 | 28 | "Bud, the Hero" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | March 27, 1957 | |
|
Bud stops a bank robbery without realizing it and completely by accident. Everyone thinks he was quite brave and is considered a hero. Bud has no problem bragging to his friends about how he did it. But, when he is asked by Reverend Swain to relate his story in church, he confesses that he really didn't do anything heroic. Note: Jim Anderson (Sr.) breaks the "fourth wall" explaining how the story evolved. | ||||||
| 92 | 29 | "Betty, the Track Star" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | April 3, 1957 | |
| Betty is one of three girls in the finals for Flower Queen of Springfield and she is getting a lot of attention. Elvia Horsen, captain of the girl's track team, asks Betty to pose for a picture with the team to get some publicity. During the photo shoot, Elvia sees Betty run and wants her to join the team. Betty reluctantly agrees, knowing that the track meet is within minutes of the Flower Queen judging. She wins the race, and the team hustles her off to get dressed for the judging. With the teams help, Betty also wins the Flower Queen pageant. | ||||||
| 93 | 30 | "The Spelling Bee" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | April 17, 1957 | |
| Kathy is to compete in the school spelling bee, so Betty gives her a penny that she says is good luck. She wins, but now is scared because she must compete in the county championship. She feels better when she remembers her lucky penny. Once there, Kathy meets Mara (Beverly Washburn), another girl who is competing. Kathy lets Mara wear one of her dresses. Kathy can't find her lucky penny and is scared. Mara finds the penny in the dress and Kathy manages to get it back. Feeling bad for Mara, Kathy loses on purpose. | ||||||
| 94 | 31 | "Bud, the Philanthropist" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | April 27, 1957 | |
| Bud donates 10 dollars towards a fund for a sick classmate in Sunday School, but none of his friends saw him do it. Betty finds out from the Sunday School teacher that the boys raised $10.39. Kippy gets credit for Bud's donation and Bud is upset. Knowing he should not brag of his good deed, Bud tries to find another way to get credit. Not knowing that Bud was the one to put in the money, Kippy confesses to Bud that he didn't do it. Bud has the chance to take the credit, but he doesn't. | ||||||
| 95 | 32 | "Baby in the House" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | May 1, 1957 | |
| A friend offers Betty a ticket to a play she wants to see on the same night she has a baby-sitting job. Margaret and Jim say they will babysit so she can go to the play. At first Margaret and Jim enjoy having an infant in the house again. But, then things start to get a little hectic. Bud finds the baby annoying and Kathy gets jealous. Gloria Henry appears as Mildred Harris, the baby's mother. | ||||||
| 96 | 33 | "Class Prophecy" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | May 8, 1957 | |
| Henry Pruett (Harry Townes), a high-school honors classmate of Jim's, comes to visit with his wife Julie (Betty Lou Gerson). Jim remembers hearing that Henry at one time was attending medical school, but he is evasive and uneasy when asked about his career. It turns out he is a lowly salesman of kitchen utensils. When Jim finds out, he must find a way to let Henry know it's OK. | ||||||
| 97 | 34 | "The Art of Romance" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | May 15, 1957 | |
| Jim's advice to Bud about playing cat-and-mouse with Judy (Joan Freeman), a girl he wants to take to the prom, almost backfires. Meanwhile, Betty gives Judy advice on how to get Bud. But, in the end she accepts his invitation. | ||||||
| 98 | 35 | "Margaret Disowns Her Family" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | May 22, 1957 | |
| Margaret decides to sell the old baby crib. A couple who are expecting their first child show up to buy it. They are young as well as being nervous about being parents. It does not help that Margaret is having a bad parenting day and is really irritated with the family. The young mother begins to have doubts about her coming baby and her marriage. Margaret has a long talk with her and eases her doubts. Christine White appears as Esther, the expecting mother. | ||||||
| 99 | 36 | "Grandpa Retires" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | May 29, 1957 | |
|
The Andersons visit Margaret's family. Her father (Ernest Truex) feels his health is failing and he needs to sell his business to retire. Jim learns that Grampa keeps delaying selling his print shop. The father is stubborn about every aspect, and Jim finds out why. Sylvia Field appears as Margaret's mother. Herbert Anderson appears as Verle Wisman, the man buying Grampa's business. Note: Sylvia Field and Herbert Anderson would go on to work together in the Dennis the Menace TV series. | ||||||
| 100 | 37 | "Shoot for the Moon" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | June 5, 1957 | |
| Margaret hires a man named Sageman (Royal Dano) to chop wood for their fireplace. He only wants to be paid in meals. He also shows an interest in helping the Andersons with their problems. Sageman quietly shares his views of life with the Anderson's and inspires them all. Robert Foulk appears as Ed Davis, Jim's business associate. | ||||||
Season 4 (1957–58)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | 1 | "Follow the Leader" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | September 25, 1957 | |
| Bud is extremely excited for the new school year to start. He is, however, shocked to find a very popular teacher has not returned but has been replaced by a Mr. Beckman (Wright King). The rest of the class wants to make trouble for Beckman, but Bud stands up and shows he is willing to accept the new man and help him win the confidence of the rest of the class. | ||||||
| 102 | 2 | "The Awkward Hero" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | October 2, 1957 | |
| Betty is excited to be chosen as a tutor for the football team. Her enthusiasm fades when she is teamed up with Muley Orkin, a socially awkward young man. Muley has concentration issues and is clearly infatuated with Betty. After a game Muley stops by and asks Betty to a dance, but because she already has a date, she turns him down. When a group of girls visit the house looking for Muley, Betty decides she needs to protect Muley and agrees to change her plans and go with him. At the dance Muley begins have a change of heart over Betty who he sees becoming more like his mother. Eventually Muley sees Shirley (Anne Whitfield) at the dance and abandons Betty for her. | ||||||
| 103 | 3 | "The Good Neighbour" | Peter Tewksbury | Andy White | October 9, 1957 | |
| 104 | 4 | "Bud, the Executive" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | October 16, 1957 | |
| 105 | 5 | "Sentenced to Happiness" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | October 23, 1957 | |
| 106 | 6 | "Mother Goes to School" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | October 30, 1957 | |
| 107 | 7 | "The Indispensable Man" | Peter Tewksbury | John Elliotte | November 6, 1957 | |
| 108 | 8 | "Kathy's Big Chance" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | November 13, 1957 | |
| 109 | 9 | "Margaret Learns to Drive" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | November 20, 1957 | |
| 110 | 10 | "Way of a Dictator" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | December 4, 1957 | |
| 111 | 11 | "Mr. Beal Meets His Match" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | December 11, 1957 | |
| 112 | 12 | "Kathy Makes a Wish" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | December 25, 1957 | |
| 113 | 13 | "Man with a Plan" | Peter Tewksbury | Andy White | January 1, 1958 | |
| 114 | 14 | "Big Sister" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | January 8, 1958 | |
| 115 | 15 | "Calypso Bud" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | January 15, 1958 | |
| 116 | 16 | "Father's Biography" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | January 22, 1958 | |
| 117 | 17 | "The Rivals" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | January 29, 1958 | |
| 118 | 18 | "Bud, the Mind Reader" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | February 5, 1958 | |
| 119 | 19 | "Margaret's Other Family" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | February 12, 1958 | |
| 120 | 20 | "The Trial" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | February 19, 1958 | |
| 121 | 21 | "Revenge is Sweet" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | February 26, 1958 | |
| 122 | 22 | "Country Cousin" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | March 5, 1958 | |
| 123 | 23 | "Poor Old Dad" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | March 12, 1958 | |
| 124 | 24 | "Betty's Crusade" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | March 19, 1958 | |
| 125 | 25 | "Young Love" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | March 26, 1958 | |
| 126 | 26 | "Tell It to Mom" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | April 2, 1958 | |
| 127 | 27 | "A Friend in Need" | Peter Tewksbury | Dorothy Cooper | April 16, 1958 | |
| 128 | 28 | "A Medal for Margaret" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | April 23, 1958 | |
| 129 | 29 | "The Weaker Sex" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | April 30, 1958 | |
| 130 | 30 | "Jim, the Answer Man" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | May 14, 1958 | |
| 131 | 31 | "Bud Quits School" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | May 21, 1958 | |
| 132 | 32 | "A Matter of Pride" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | June 4, 1958 | |
| 133 | 33 | "Betty Finds a Cause" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | June 11, 1958 | |
Season 5 (1958–59)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 134 | 1 | "Vine Covered Cottage" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | September 15, 1958 | |
| 135 | 2 | "Be Kind to Bud Week" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | September 22, 1958 | |
| 136 | 3 | "Kathy's Romance" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | September 29, 1958 | |
| 137 | 4 | "Voice from the Past" | Peter Tewksbury | Dorothy Cooper | October 6, 1958 | |
| 138 | 5 | "Frank's Family Trees" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | October 13, 1958 | |
| Frank the gardener comes up with a solution involving the Anderson kids when Jim has trouble lining up entertainment for his insurance convention. | ||||||
| 139 | 6 | "Always Plan Ahead" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | October 20, 1958 | |
| 140 | 7 | "Second Wedding" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | October 27, 1958 | |
| When the kids discover that their parents never had a church wedding, Jim and Margaret decide to renew their vows on their anniversary. | ||||||
| 141 | 8 | "Bud, the Caretaker" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | November 3, 1958 | |
| Bud runs into problems when he agrees to watch the home of a neighbor (John McIntire) who has gone out of town. The family pitches in to help Bud make things right before the neighbor returns. | ||||||
| 142 | 9 | "Betty, the Pioneer Woman" | Peter Tewksbury | Ben Gershman | November 10, 1958 | |
| Betty and a fellow student (Dick York) plan to recreate the pioneer trek of his ancestors, but it proves to be more difficult than they anticipated. | ||||||
| 143 | 10 | "Fair Exchange" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | November 17, 1958 | |
| The family hosts an exchange student (Rita Moreno) from India. | ||||||
| 144 | 11 | "Bud, the Snob (Flashback)" | TBA | TBA | November 24, 1958 | |
| 145 | 12 | "Margaret Wins a Car" | Peter Tewksbury | John Elliotte | December 1, 1958 | |
| The family wants to find a way to help a children's home after Margaret wins an expensive car. | ||||||
| 146 | 13 | "The Great Experiment" | Peter Tewksbury | Dorothy Cooper | December 8, 1958 | |
| 147 | 14 | "The Christmas Story" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West Screenplay by: Roswell Rogers | December 15, 1958 | |
| 148 | 15 | "The Basketball Coach" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | December 22, 1958 | |
| Bud and his friends ask Jim to take over coaching their basketball team after their previous coach leaves town due to work. But when the former coach returns to town, Bud can't find a way to break the news to his dad. Then, when the team loses its sponsor, Jim comes up with a way to make everyone happy. | ||||||
| 149 | 16 | "Kathy, Girl Executive" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | December 29, 1958 | |
| The family puts money into a family "corporation" to help finance a power mower for Bud's mowing business. Kathy is voted president of the corporation, over Bud's objections, and is thus in charge of managing the funds. But when Bud expects to be paid his salary, Kathy must confess that she spent the money on a present for her young boyfriend. In the end, it all works out when the boy returns the present and it can then be returned for the cash. | ||||||
| 150 | 17 | "The Good Samaritan" | Peter Tewksbury | Dorothy Cooper | January 5, 1959 | |
| Bud and Kippy attempt to help a family being evicted from their home, but it almost turns to disaster when a stranger steals the family's furniture. Luckily, the furniture is recovered. Bud then tries to help the father find a job but his effort is initially rebuffed. Eventually the man shows up at the Anderson home to apologize and reveals that he has taken the job Bud helped him to find. | ||||||
| 151 | 18 | "The Ideal Father" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | January 12, 1959 | |
| 152 | 19 | "Big Shot Bud" | Peter Tewksbury | Ben Gershman | January 19, 1959 | |
| 153 | 20 | "Hard Luck Leo" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | January 26, 1959 | |
| 154 | 21 | "Bud, the Campus Romeo" | Peter Tewksbury | John Elliotte | February 2, 1959 | |
| 155 | 22 | "Crisis Over a Kiss" | Peter Tewksbury | John Elliotte | February 9, 1959 | |
| 156 | 23 | "Kathy Grows Up" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | February 16, 1959 | |
| 157 | 24 | "A Man of Merit" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | February 23, 1959 | |
| 158 | 25 | "Betty Makes a Choice" | Peter Tewksbury | Peter Tewksbury | March 2, 1959 | |
| Betty wants to audition for a dance part in a college production. She hesitates when she realizes that one of the other girls is a more talented dancer. After the other girl wins the part, Betty discovers that the other girl has worked tirelessly to perfect her dancing ability. | ||||||
| 159 | 26 | "It's a Small World" | Peter Tewksbury | Dorothy Cooper | March 9, 1959 | |
| 160 | 27 | "Two Loves Has Bud" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | March 16, 1959 | |
| Bud is upset when his girlfriend breaks up with him, until he meets another girl whose family is moving in next door. Things get complicated when the first girl decides that she has made a mistake and wants to get back with Bud. The two girls soon find out that Bud is trying to see both of them at the same time. Eventually, they demand that Bud make a choice. | ||||||
| 161 | 28 | "An Extraordinary Woman" | Peter Tewksbury | Dorothy Cooper | March 23, 1959 | |
| Jim becomes fascinated by a book sent to him through the mail. He and Margaret then realize that the book has been written and sent to them by an old college friend (Constance Ford), who is now a doctor and has spent time in Africa. When the friend comes to Springfield to visit, she discovers that Jim and Margaret have the one thing she is missing in her life -- a happy home and family. | ||||||
| 162 | 29 | "The Art of Romance" | Peter Tewksbury | TBA | March 30, 1959 | |
| 163 | 30 | "Formula for Happiness" | Peter Tewksbury | Dorothy Cooper | April 6, 1959 | |
| 164 | 31 | "Bud and the Debutante" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | April 13, 1959 | |
| 165 | 32 | "The Promised Playhouse (Flashback)" | TBA | TBA | April 20, 1959 | |
| 166 | 33 | "The Meanest Professor" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | April 27, 1959 | |
| 167 | 34 | "Live My Own Life (Flashback)" | TBA | TBA | May 4, 1959 | |
| 168 | 35 | "Bud Has a Problem" | Peter Tewksbury | Story by : John Elliotte Teleplay by : John Elliotte & Roswell Rogers | May 11, 1959 | |
| 169 | 36 | "The Great Anderson Mystery" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | May 18, 1959 | |
| 170 | 37 | "Margaret Goes Dancing (Flashback)" | TBA | TBA | May 25, 1959 | |
| 171 | 38 | "The Gold Turnip" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | June 1, 1959 | |
Season 6 (1959–60)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 172 | 1 | "A Day in the Country" | TBA | TBA | October 5, 1959 |
| 173 | 2 | "Bud Branches Out" | TBA | TBA | October 12, 1959 |
| 174 | 3 | "The Gardener's Big Day" | TBA | TBA | October 19, 1959 |
| 175 | 4 | "The Impostor" | TBA | TBA | October 26, 1959 |
| 176 | 5 | "Bud Plays It Safe" | TBA | TBA | November 2, 1959 |
| 177 | 6 | "Bicycle Trip for Two" | TBA | TBA | November 9, 1959 |
| 178 | 7 | "First Disillusionment" | TBA | TBA | November 16, 1959 |
| 179 | 8 | "Margaret's Old Flame" | TBA | TBA | November 23, 1959 |
| 180 | 9 | "Kathy Becomes a Girl" | TBA | TBA | November 30, 1959 |
| 181 | 10 | "Bud, the Willing Worker" | TBA | TBA | December 7, 1959 |
| 182 | 11 | "Turn the Other Cheek" | TBA | TBA | December 14, 1959 |
| 183 | 12 | "Good Joke on Mom" | TBA | TBA | December 28, 1959 |
| 184 | 13 | "Betty's Double" | TBA | TBA | January 4, 1960 |
| 185 | 14 | "Father, the Naturalist" | TBA | TBA | January 11, 1960 |
| 186 | 15 | "Bud Hides Behind a Skirt" | TBA | TBA | January 18, 1960 |
| 187 | 16 | "Togetherness" | TBA | TBA | January 25, 1960 |
| 188 | 17 | "Second Best" | TBA | TBA | February 1, 1960 |
| 189 | 18 | "Kathy's Big Deception" | TBA | TBA | February 8, 1960 |
| 190 | 19 | "Cupid Knows Best" | TBA | TBA | February 15, 1960 |
| 191 | 20 | "The Big Test" | TBA | TBA | February 22, 1960 |
| 192 | 21 | "Jim's Big Surprise" | TBA | TBA | February 29, 1960 |
| 193 | 22 | "Time to Retire" | TBA | TBA | March 7, 1960 |
| 194 | 23 | "Bud, the Speculator" | TBA | TBA | March 14, 1960 |
| 195 | 24 | "The $500 Letter" | TBA | TBA | March 21, 1960 |
| 196 | 25 | "Adopted Daughter" | TBA | TBA | March 28, 1960 |
| 197 | 26 | "Family Contest" | TBA | TBA | April 4, 1960 |
| 198 | 27 | "Love and Learn" | TBA | TBA | April 11, 1960 |
| 199 | 28 | "Blind Date" | TBA | TBA | April 18, 1960 |
| 200 | 29 | "Betty's Career Problem" | TBA | TBA | April 25, 1960 |
| 201 | 30 | "Bud Lives It Up" | TBA | TBA | May 9, 1960 |
| 202 | 31 | "Not His Type" | TBA | TBA | May 16, 1960 |
| 203 | 32 | "Betty's Graduation" | TBA | TBA | May 23, 1960 |
Home media
Shout! Factory has released all six seasons of Father Knows Best on DVD in Region 1. Season 5 and 6 were released as Shout! Select titles, available exclusively through their online store. Season 5 was re-released on April 11, 2017.[6] Season 6 was re-released on July 18, 2017.[7]
In Region 4, Madman Entertainment has released the first two seasons on DVD in Australia.[8][9]
| DVD Name | Ep# | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Season One | 26 | April 1, 2008 |
| Season Two | 37 | November 11, 2008 |
| Season Three | 37 | June 9, 2009 |
| Season Four | 33 | March 23, 2010 |
| Season Five | 38 | August 17, 2010 April 11, 2017 (re-release) |
| Season Six | 32 | April 19, 2011 July 18, 2017 (re-release) |
– Shout! Factory Exclusives title, sold exclusively through Shout's online store
Homages
- In a September 2010 episode of the CBS daytime television series The Young and the Restless, newlyweds Billy and Victoria Abbott (portrayed by Billy Miller and Amelia Heinle, respectively) buy a house (exterior located on old Columbia Movie Ranch that was actually used in Father Knows Best and I Dream of Jeannie) that replicates the interior of the Anderson home on a sound stage. They watch Father Knows Best on DVD and often call each other "Jim" and "Margaret." At her wedding, which takes place in the house, Victoria chooses a 1950s-style white dress. Judge Anderson, the minister who marries the couple, was played by Donahue.
Nielsen ratings
The series finished in the Nielsen ratings at #25 for the 1957–1958 season, #14 for 1958–1959 and #6 for 1959–1960.[10]
Syndication
Father Knows Best aired in the 1980s on Superstation WTBS and in the 1990s on The Family Channel. The show also aired on TV Land from 1998 to 1999 and 2002–2004. Reruns of Father Knows Best air on Antenna TV as part of that channel's regular programming schedule since January 3, 2011 and it also aired weekday afternoons on digital sub-channel ME-TOO in Chicago. Father Knows Best is currently broadcast weekday mornings on fetv. Father Knows Best is also currently streaming free on Vudu, and Amazon Prime.
References
General
- "Shout! Factory Store". Los Angeles: Shout! Factory. 2011. Archived from the original on October 15, 2011. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
- "Father Knows Best – Collector Helps Shout! Include Lost 'Playground' Episode On DVDs!". TVshowsondvd.com. Vancouver: Pacific Online. January 13, 2008. Archived from the original on September 14, 2011. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
Specific
- Father Knows Best (radio). December 20, 1948. Pilot Episode.
- Bawden, James (Fall 2015). "Robert Young -- Family Man". Films of the Golden Age (82): 18–31.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1999). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (Twentieth Anniversary ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. p. 338.
- Terrace, Vincent (1993). Television Character and Story Facts: Over 110,000 Details From 1,008 Shows, 1945–1992. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co. Inc. ISBN 0-89950-891-X.
- General 'Wide' Retail Release for 'Season 5,' Starring Robert Young Archived January 10, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- 'Wide' General Retail Release for 'Season 6,' The Show's Final Season Archived April 15, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- Father Knows Best – Season 1 Archived December 30, 2012, at Archive.today
- Father Knows Best – Season 2 Archived July 29, 2012, at Archive.today
- "ClassicTVHits.com: TV Ratings". www.classictvhits.com. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Father Knows Best. |
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.